Pasta Night: Healthy Chicken Parmesan Dinner

Bringing People Together

This post has been sponsored by Walmart (#walmartcommunitytable). All views expressed are my own.

What brings people together in your home? In ours it is always food that brings everyone together; whether it is having family dinner or congregating in the kitchen to help cook as a family! This is why I am excited to partner with Walmart and celebrate with various recipes that bring people together as part of the #WalmartCommunityTable initiative.

When I was younger, one of my favorite nights of the week was pasta night. As a child, I loved the hearty flavors of my mom’s pasta dishes. Now as an adult, I love how pasta nights make us slow down and savor our meal (and our time with each other). Many evenings are spent around the dinner table, a time when the kids will discuss their day in depth, cell phones are tucked away and we are free of distractions. There is something about our pasta nights that makes us linger a little longer (maybe it’s because noodles can be harder to twirl for little hands, thus taking more time).

Recently, I learned that Walmart Grocery has quite the array of organic produce and products. I am able to find all of the ingredients I need to make my weekly chicken parmesan with zoodles (zucchini spiralized to make noodles). The kids will try the zoodles, but they tend to stick to spaghetti or these awesome chickpea penne noodles I found at Walmart. I try to make a healthier chicken parmesan that fits our dietary needs, we have been eating more whole foods since my husband’s heart attack a few years ago. 

Did you help out your parents in the kitchen when you were younger? I helped my mom especially when it came to trimming and washing herbs. I love having my daughter help me, and she is at the age where she helps a lot. Her little brother doesn’t love helping as much as he loves trying the food!

Ingredients:

Olive Oil – 2 tbsp

Garlic – 4 cloves minced

Shredded carrots – 1 cup

Fresh Basil

Crushed tomatoes 28oz can (or marinara sauce if you are in a pinch for time)

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Chicken breast tenders – 2 lbs

Dried Oregano

Salt

Zucchini

For use in the instant pot:

Turn Instant Pot to saute mode and add olive oil and minced garlic

Add shredded carrots and saute until tender

Trim and cut three sprigs of basil and add to pot

Add tomatoes or marinara sauce and two tablespoons parmesan cheese

Rinse chicken, dry and then and season with salt and dried oregano

Add chicken to instant pot and close lid (make sure you have it set to seal)

Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes

Once pressure is released (manually or naturally) remove chicken and use an immersion blender to blend sauce. (This is especially great for hiding vegetables like the carrots into your sauce).

Place chicken on sauce and top with one tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese

Garnish with basil

For zoodles in lieu of pasta:

Wash zucchini and cut ends. Use a mandolin slicer or spiralizer to create noodle shapes. I really like the spiralizer I linked below from Walmart. If your children do not love zucchini, I have linked an awesome chickpea pasta that my kids love too!

I would love to hear some of your recipes that always bring your family together! Please share them with me and use the hashtag #WalmartCommunityTable if you post in social media (that way I can find them!).

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With love,

Shahla